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Device for recording cross-sectional imagesRelated Patent Categories: Image Analysis, Applications, Dna Or Rna Pattern Reading, Tomography (e.g., Cat Scanner)Device for recording cross-sectional images description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060239531, Device for recording cross-sectional images. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to the German Application No. 10 2005 019 369.2, filed Apr. 26, 2005 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to a device for recording cross-sectional images of the surroundings of a lumen formed in a body, using a probe unit, which comprises a probe which can be inserted into the lumen and a processing unit arranged downstream of said probe, which produces a series of cross-sectional images from the measurement information supplied by the probe unit. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0003] A device of this type is known from WO 97/32182 A1. The known device uses optical coherence tomography to produce cross-sectional images of vessels. In the simplest case, the probe unit of the device features a probe which represents the measuring arm of an interferometer. The probe unit further comprises a reference arm, the optical path length of which can be varied. Light, which features a short coherence length, is fed into both the reference arm and into the measuring arm. The light fed into the measuring arm passes through the probe and is guided to the vessel wall in the region of the probe tip which is located in the vessel to be examined. There the light in different tissue depths is reflected back to the probe tip, detected there and led back through the probe. The light passing back in the reference arm and in the measuring arm is superimposed and supplied to a detector. Modulation means are provided in the reference arm or in the measuring arm, by means of said modulation means the light can be modulated. When the light passing pack from the reference arm and from the measuring arm is interfered in the detector, the intensity detected by the detector is modulated by this modulation. Interference only occurs however when the optical path length of the light in the reference arm and in the measuring arm is approximately the same. By varying the optical path length in the reference arm across several coherence lengths, the photons reflected in each case in a specific tissue depth can result in interference. The probe can be designed such that a cross-sectional profile can be recorded in each instance at a position in the vessel. In the simplest case, this is effected by rotating the probe, with a depth profile being established in each instance in each angular position. [0004] The processing unit arranged downstream of the probe unit then establishes a cross-sectional profile from the measuring signal supplied by the probe unit. As the probe is moved step-by-step through the vessel, the processing unit supplies a series of cross-sectional images one after the other. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0005] As the known device is used to carry out vessel examinations on living patients, the intensity of the light fed into the measuring arm is restricted. [0006] Furthermore, only a fraction of the intensity which meets the vessel walls is reflected back to the probe. This results in the cross-sectional images supplied by the known device generally being subjected to significant noise. In addition, the quality of the cross-sectional images depends significantly on whether blood remains in the vessel to be examined or whether the existing blood could be completely rinsed out for the examination. Besides the noise, the cross-sectional images are thus still frequently subjected to significant artifacts. [0007] Both result in the doctor, who is looking for pathological structures i n the cross-sectional images, frequently not detecting these or only insufficiently so. Even greater difficulties occur with the detection of pathological structures, if a computer-aided automatic evaluation method is used. A method of this type then requires some degree of interference-free images. [0008] SHANKAR, P. M.: Speckle Reduction in Ultrasound B-Scans Using Weighted Averaging in Spatial Compounding, in IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control. 1986, Vol. UFFC-33, No.6, pages 754 to 758 further discloses adding cross-sectional images recorded by means of ultrasound for noise reduction purposes to an overall cross-sectional image. To this end, cross-sectional images from different directions are recorded from a target region and the recorded cross-sectional images are averaged into an overall cross-sectional image. [0009] Based on this prior art, an object underlying the invention is to specify a device which supplies cross-sectional images with improved image quality. [0010] This object is achieved by a device with the features of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and developments are specified in the claims dependent thereon. [0011] The device is characterized in that the processing unit adds the cross-sectional images recorded by the probe at different positions of a longitudinal axis of the lumen to an overall cross-sectional image. Since the image artifacts generated by residual blood feature considerably smaller dimensions than the pathological structures to be found, an addition of cross-sectional images recorded from along the path of the probe in the lumen weakens the image artifacts and highlights the pathological structures. In addition, the image noise is reduced. Both result in the diagnosis being essentially facilitated for the treating doctor and the use of automatic evaluation methods being made possible. [0012] With a preferred embodiment, the processing unit adds cross-sectional images which have been recorded along a stretch, the lengths of which correspond to the size of a pathological structure to be detected. In this way, artifacts are most effectively suppressed and the pathological structures sought are most effectively highlighted. [0013] With a further preferred embodiment, the processing unit executes a weighted addition of the individual cross-sectional images. This allows artifacts to be particularly effectively suppressed and allows pathological structures to be particularly clearly highlighted. [0014] By way of example, the central image can be weighted most heavily in the case of an addition. This prevents image structures from changing erratically and only being localized with difficulty. [0015] In addition, it is possible for the processing unit to weight central images to a lesser degree than images which are located at the edge of the series of cross-sectional images to be added. This allows artifacts, which are located in the central cross-sectional images, to be intentionally suppressed. [0016] With a preferred embodiment, the number of images to be added and the type of weighting can be adjusted by a user. This is advantageous in that the number of images to be added and the type of weighting can be adjusted to the size and structure of the pathological structure to be detected. [0017] Finally, it is also advantageous if the processing unit is able to consider differential images between the overall cross-sectional image and one or a number of cross-sectional images. On the basis of the differential images, the user is able to detect whether the processing unit is using the suitable weighting and whether the processing unit is adding a suitable number of individual cross-sectional images. [0018] The device is, in particular, a device for examining vessels with the aid of optical coherence tomography. In addition, the device can however also be used in conjunction with the intravascular ultrasound diagnostics. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] Further details and advantages of the invention emerge from the description below, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the appended drawing, in which; Continue reading about Device for recording cross-sectional images... 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